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Water

Fino

Alex
V.I.P Member
Misery finally talked about water enough for me to look into it and it does seem that we should be drinking a surprisingly large amount of water each. But how much?

The first thing that comes up on Google for me is:

"The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is: About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men. About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women."

Then I also found this:

"Multiply by 2/3: Next you want to multiply your weight by 2/3 (or 67%) to determine how much water to drink daily. For example, if you weighed 175 pounds you would multiply that by 2/3 and learn you should be drinking about 117 ounces of water every day."

It also said to add 12 ounces of water for each 30 minutes of exercise you do, which made me wonder: how much do I add for taking six medications?

I'm probably overthinking it and should just drink some amount in the area of what they're generally saying, but I'm also just curious.

I'm also curious, what are the benefits of drinking enough water? When I try to google that, I find the benefits of drinking enough water to not die basically. But why is the recommended amount that amount and what does it do for you? They must know that very few people are meeting the standard so I wonder if they felt at all silly choosing those numbers.

Sincerely,

Me

P.S. I don't know why, I just suddenly felt like ending it like a letter.
 
Yes, you can put fires out with it too. and fish swim in it, so therefore fish poop.

I usually drink quite a bit of it, I'm in a hot climate.
 
Drinking more water than anything else the last couple of weeks has been good for me. I am sleeping better at night and being more awake during the day, anyway.
 
I'm led to believe adults are approximately 60% water.
blood is 90% water.

water assists in the production of hormones and neurotransmitters.

Every part of the body that uses mucus, saliva and synovial fluids requires 'top ups' several times a day.
Kidneys and bowels can function better with adequate hydration.
Moisture is lost when exhaling and also sweating.
We blink often. We produce much saliva and swallow often.
Submerged in a bath of water and one's skin wrinkles is caused, in part, by osmosis.

The body will prioritise. Take some water and proteins from one system to keep another system functioning.

If we can imagine every bodily system that uses & loses water hourly,
gives a better idea of why sipping or drinking water throughout the day helps body function efficiently.

Chugging down 2 litres of water all at once isn't healthy. Probably make you feel quite ill. Upsets balance of salts in system.

I found the same equations as you @Fino in trying to determine where the numbers came from.
I imagine the numbers to be for a healthy, everyday Joe.

My being an anxious sort suspect much of my water is directed to my fight/flight (survival) response many times daily.
That, and my dry mouth, would motivate me to sip water frequently.

I think an adult can survive for about 3 days without water, also determined by how hydrated you are initially and activity levels :)
 
If anyone here has Meniere's disease,(a problem with the inner ear causing vertigo),
I found the advice my doctor offered was opposite of what helps me.

His advice was lower water intake and low sodium.
This is based on the cause of the vertigo with Meniere's...fluid build up in the inner ear.
It did not help.

I found an article called the water's cure for vertigo flares from Meniere's.
It said drink high amounts of water and take a bit of salt three times through the day to keep
the salt in the system balanced.
It works!
Just the opposite of what the doctor had prescribed.

He also told me periods of prolonged anxiety brings on the attacks.
I know for me it does.
So maybe the water's cure goes beyond the ears to the cause...anxiety.
 
The benefit of it is to avoid dehydration.

I found that the best way to understand the overall effects of what the water can do, thusly, is to actually look up what dehydration does to you, rather than look up "what are the benefits".

For instance, dehydration can do these:

headaches (oh yeah, I had this one OFTEN, getting rid of this was the best part for me)
sluggishness (not sure what else to call it... that sort of "dont really want to do anything right now so I'm just going to stare at the wall" feeling)
mood issues
low energy (this one hit me pretty hard)
cognitive issues (aka, you're not going to think as clearly or as quickly and will be more easily confused)
bowel issues
sleep issues? I'm not as sure of this one as one of my meds makes me sleep like a rock regardless.
did I mention the headaches

Honestly the best way I've found to think of it, is simply to realize the sheer number of things your body uses water to do, and then consider that the less water you have, the harder it is to do every single one of those things.

On a side note, why does everyone always have to add scary math to everything? Blasted scientists and their numbers. Always with the percentages and the ounces and all that. I hate math, I always get the urge to wave a crucifix at it or something, ward it off like the brain vampire that it is.

Just pour the water and drink the darned stuff.

Though, as @Gracey said, dont drink some giant amount all at once. That's silly. I've heard of some people doing that (in some cases, for one of those stupid Youtube "challenges", because of freaking course), where they drink like a gallon in an hour or some baffling thing like that. Dont do that. You dont have to go nuts with it or drink it to the point of it getting uncomfortable.
 
I take lithium and dexamphetamine, both of which cause a very dry mouth. So I drink a lot, especially at work. But I don't really go to pee that much. Probably because it's summer and I'm sweating the fluid out.
 
Your body cannot make blood unless you are hydrated. It is impossible to draw blood from dehydrated people, especially children who are chronically dehydrated due to parents not giving them plain water and who have a lesser blood volume than adults anyway.

A good test for myself is whether I have dry or chapped lips. If I do, it means I'm dehydrated.
 
Keep it simple folks. All things in moderation. Drink when you are thirsty. Water can be found in many different fluids and foods we consume. Assuming you have healthy kidneys, the urine color can be an indicator of hydration. It shouldn't be absolutely clear nor definitely yellow. Keep in mind, if you are taking certain medications and/or B-vitamins, it can change the urine color to a yellow-orange.

Some folks will have other dehydration symptoms like constipation, dry cracked chapped lips, thickened saliva, sore joints, etc. Obviously, in the hospital setting, we can look at many other indicators like changes urine specific gravity, concentrations of many things (electrolytes, hemoglobin, etc.) that can be "hemo concentrated/diluted", and vitals like heart rate and blood pressure.

Dry, itchy skin, may be something as simple as inadequate omega-3 oil intake,...it may be the chlorine in your bathing water,...it may be the bromine in the breads you are eating. Take an iodine supplement to displace the chlorine and bromine.
 
Don't go crazy drinking too much water. Too much can be terrible for humans. Water intoxication, or dilutional hyponatremia can cause seizures, brain damage, a coma, and even death. And no, we don't need 8 glasses of water a day.

 
I take lithium and dexamphetamine, both of which cause a very dry mouth. So I drink a lot, especially at work. But I don't really go to pee that much. Probably because it's summer and I'm sweating the fluid out.
Oh yeah you absolutely want to drink water with lithium. Damn, I peed so much when I was on that.
 
Don't go crazy drinking too much water. Too much can be terrible for humans. Water intoxication, or dilutional hyponatremia can cause seizures, brain damage, a coma, and even death. And no, we don't need 8 glasses of water a day.


That depends very heavily on the size of the glass (which of course is the part they never bother to specify, I mean seriously, who uses "glass" as a measuring amount? It could mean anything!). Personally I use a large thermos thing, or whatever they're called, and will typically go through it about 4 times in the course of the day. Maybe 5. Depends on what I'm doing and all.

As for the second bit, you'd have to drink an utterly ridiculous amount to get water intoxication. If you're doing THAT... you've got more things to worry about beyond just the idea of water intake. I rather expect it takes an incredibly obsessive personality to manage that one.

On a side note, best not to put too much credit into things you see on Youtube. Just as general advice, I mean. Bloody amazing how much conflicting nonsense there is on that site. I learned a long time ago not to go there when a topic needs researching, unless that research pertains to a specific displayed method of doing something (like putting something together, since they actively show the process rather than describe it and fling graphs at you).

In all honesty anyone who is REALLY curious about this sort of thing would do well to go ask their doctor about it, and learn from that. If you wanna know where my own specific routine comes from, that's where. I started the regimen after getting overly dried out one day and nearly passing out, in an overly dry environment (one particular area I often find myself in tends to be extremely dry overall). The doc explained quite a bit of stuff to me. They'll happily do the same for anyone that asks. Or, at least, that's their job, anyway... Do that instead of bothering with Youtube.
 
I did some reading on this a while ago and this is what I decided on as a rough goal/guideline: 10 "glasses" (8 ounces) of LIQUID a day. Not specifically water. Anything counts, except I don't count alcohol (although you do get water from alcoholic beverages as well, I don't count it).

I use my Galaxy watch to keep track. It lets you set a custom goal. This is the only way I've found to consistently make sure I get enough, though I do tend to fall short on the weekends - I rely a lot on my work/break schedule to drink enough fluids lol. Without having that schedule to work around, I tend to forget. (I really do need to set a schedule for myself on weekends, I guess - I rely on an external schedule to get a lot of things done!) Before I got the watch, I had no clue.

I've found 10 glasses (I don't measure them, so some of my "glasses" are bigger than 8 ounces, I'd imagine it adds up to more like 12 8 ounce glasses actually) is a good amount most days - I can stop drinking fluids for the most part (except for my magnesium drink every night) a few hours before bed without issue and I don't wind up in the bathroom all day/night, but I'm well hydrated. It took some experimentation to figure this out.

I rarely drink plain water. I just don't like it, unless I'm really thirsty. I generally refused to drink plain water at all as a child - I couldn't stand the taste (the house I grew up in had a well and copper pipes, and our water had a definite taste, so there's that). The good news is that the whole "you need 8 glasses of plain water in addition to everything else you drink every day" is pretty much bunk. Though obviously you shouldn't be drinking 8 glasses of sugary soda a day either.
 
Not specifically water. Anything counts

It doesnt. Not even close. That's part of why people are so dehydrated all the time.

Most liquids will quench thirst, specifically. The "thirst" instinct cant tell the difference. BUT, things like soda or whatever are only PART water, and often, it's not a very high amount. Let's say I drink, uh, well 4 thermos-things worth of water a day, which is a number I pulled out of nowhere for this example. You do the same number of thermos things, but you fill it with... anything else. Likely, I'll experience the benefits, while you'll still find yourself experiencing dehydration.

I'll put it this way: the amount of water I drink now? It is actually LESS "liquid" than I was originally drinking per day (before I started on this whole thing). ....Quite a bit less, actually. But I am MORE hydrated. That's how much of a difference it is. (I'm not counting alcohol in that, as I've never had even a drop of the stuff. Ever.) But what I was consuming prior to all of this was certainly not pure water. Usually things like soda or milk or stuff like that, you know.

I say this because what you said was EXACTLY my own thought process originally. It took me nearly faceplanting onto the floor (and then a followup conversation with the doctor) to realize that this thought process was incorrect. It also proved to me that I didnt KNOW when I was hydrated or not (which most people dont, because you get completely used to the feeling that goes with not having enough). I had thought I was doing fine with it for all that time, and then I found myself rather disoriented on the floor. Scared the heck outta me, I tell you that. These days, it's MUCH easier for me to spot the signs, but that's entirely because I've been on the water regimen for so long. Previously... I'd never have noticed and would have thought "I'm fine".

Also again, dont rely on research via the Net. I strongly urge anyone that wants to learn more to go talk to an actual doctor. No, not read medical journals/articles or watch Youtube. A LIVE CONVERSATION with a doctor, via the phone or in person. I honestly wouldnt be constantly rambling about all this stuff, if I hadnt gone through that very process myself.... because if I'd learned of it any other way, I'd not have believed it. I've been on the net since there's BEEN a Net. I dont trust a blasted thing on it. And neither should you. As I always say, sites out there, most of them do not exist to inform you. They exist to profit from you, usually via ads (or others exist to do far worse than that). Cant trust 'em.

Lastly though: None of this, with this water regimen idea, means you cant drink other things. But it's in addition to the water. I still have my Mountain Dew each day (yay, caffeine addiction) and a bunch of milk before bed. The funny part? Even with that AND the water combined.... I still drink less total liquid than I did before but am still more hydrated.

I cant be sure what in the numerous hells was in the various drinks I'd been exclusively on BEFORE I started on this, but it sure as bloody hell wasnt much water.

As for the taste, yeah I would have said the exact same thing before now, but... after about a month on it something seemed to just click, mentally, and now I dont find the stuff unpleasant to drink. I think a lot of people have to deal with that one. Though, this might also be why things like sweeteners and such are popular these days... a bit of a sprinkle and some stirring and you've got a taste change without reducing the amount of water in the cup.
 
The idea is to get enough fluids to get the required amount of water out of them. You also get water from the foods that you eat. I'd have to search for the articles I read on it, but I worked it out to around 10 glasses of liquid for me personally.

Your needs are likely a lot different, because everyone's are. And of course if you're on meds that dehydrate you, etc. that makes a massive difference too.
 
I drink what has been described as ridiculous amounts. I know when my body is craving fluids. I can’t regulate my own body temperature and have blood pressure dips so it’s important. Plus it’s also helps with my bowel dismotilty.
 
The idea is to get enough fluids to get the required amount of water out of them. You also get water from the foods that you eat. I'd have to search for the articles I read on it, but I worked it out to around 10 glasses of liquid for me personally.

Your needs are likely a lot different, because everyone's are. And of course if you're on meds that dehydrate you, etc. that makes a massive difference too.

Nah, nothing I take dehydrates me. Fortunately for me, none of the medications I take have much in the way of side effects. And I made sure to educate myself on each medication. Frankly medications of any type scare the heck outta me, so I either get one heck of a VERY detailed explanation of each one from doctors, or I refuse to take it.

Yes, you can get a "good" amount of water out of other fluids, but you'd have to drink a *MONSTROUS* amount to do that. Everyone always THINKS they're getting enough from the non-water fluids they drink. Everyone. As did I, and holy heck did I drink a ton of "fluids". But yeah, that generally doesnt work that way... personal differences or not.

There's also other elements at work. Just like how salt water actually DRAINS you, despite being "part water", all sorts of drinks have a very large variety of effects that can come into play, reducing the water content you actually absorb. Of course, they dont outright suck it out of you like salt water does, that's a super intense example meant to illustrate a simple concept, but the idea as I'm using it remains the same: part water, TECHNICALLY, but there's way more to the story. Hmm, and when you really think about it... that's a little bit alarming, isnt it? We consume so many "foods" and "drinks" that we dont REALLY understand (or even slightly understand, in most cases). All those funky ingredients listed on every bottle of everything or every bag of oddly shaped crunchy things. Definitely a bit... disconcerting. Not that most people will allow themselves to think about that.

Again also, dont trust articles for this stuff, as I said before. Bad place to get your info from. It's the internet. If you want to be sure about this sort of thing, the one and ONLY way to do so is to talk to a doctor. A direct conversation, phone or in person, NOT over the Net... there is no substitute for that. To TRY and substitute for that... particularly via the internet... is a very, very dangerous habit to get into. I cant emphasize that enough.

One way or another, *everyone* out there needs a lot of water, as our bodies are simply built that way, without exception. Most think they dont. Because they're "already getting enough, really I'm getting enough fluid, it's totally not an excuse to drink more soda" (someone I know actually said this to me, word for word, in that slightly twitchy way someone does when they know something is wrong. He drank even more soda than I used to, which is moderately baffling). This, too, was something I had to admit to myself when I started on this. I didnt want to, but it was necessary. Though, it's not ACTUALLY required to give something up entirely to do this... you merely drink less of whatever it was previously before. Which in many cases is the healthy option anyway. To think that I used to drink as much blasted soda as I did... ugh. Wish I could go back in time and smack my earlier self upside the head, for pulling THAT dumb move over and over. These days I manage to restrict my soda (and caffeine) intake to one small bottle of Mountain Dew each morning. After doing that, well... I can understand now why a couple of friends of mine decided to cut that stuff out entirely.

But I digress (I always do, eventually). As per the main topic, it's up to any individual whether they do this or not. I can only advise. Past that point, not my problem. Even if I knew more of the deep science stuff about this topic, I wouldnt give that as part of the advice anyway. Only doctors should give those deeper explanations. I always keep my advice restricted to "go drink water it's good for you" albeit in far more words. Rarely does anyone listen to me anyway.

I've said my piece in any case... there aint much else to say about this one, I think. Again, anyone who is further curious should talk to their doctor about it. NOT look up stuff on the internet. Seriously, dont do that, anyone. With any medical-aligned subject, no matter how minor. Just... just dont.
 
If my pee is darkly colored I need to drink more water. If my pee is mostly clear then I'm getting enough. I don't think there's such a thing as a perfect amount of water to drink each day since the amount we need varies so I just base how much I think I need off the coloration of my urine.
 

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